System for controlling physical distribution pallets

• US 6,125,306 A
• Filed: 11/13/1998
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobashi, Kazuo, Shimada, Takanori, Abe, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bollinger, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Butler, Michael E.
• Application Number:
  US09/190,278
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 364/478.03, 364/478.04, 364/478.05, 364/478.13, 364/478.14, 364/478.16, 414/798, 414/273, 700/217, 700/218, 700/228, 700/229, 340/825.35, 340/825.01, 342/51, 342/42, 499/38.2, 705/28
• US Class Current: 700/217
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31095 Read write intelligent chip on workpiece, pallet, tool for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31158 Wan wide area network
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31283 Communication memory, storage, ram, eprom on workpiece or pallet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31312 Identify pallet, bag, box code
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31319 Use data groups as inventory control value, adapt inventory need to new data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A system for controlling physical distribution pallets makes it possible to accurately identify status of pallets, to set up an adequate forwarding plan of pallets, and to accomplish physical distribution in smooth manner. The system includes a wireless detector device mounted on pallets and for detecting pallet control information transmitted from transmitting means 21 which stores pallet control information of said pallet and transmits in wireless, a pallet stock data storage for receiving and storing the pallet control information detected by the wireless detector via a wide area communication network, and a pallet status judging device for judging whether the pallet stored in memory of the pallet stock data storage is empty or not based on the pallet control information of said pallet. Further, the invention includes a supply and demand predictor for predicting supply and demand of pallets at physical distribution bases and a planning device for setting up a forwarding plan for forwarding pallets at minimal cost between physical distribution bases. It is possible according to the present system to accurately identify the status of pallets, to set up an adequate forwarding plan for pallets, and to accomplish smooth physical distribution.

Claims

1. A system for controlling physical distribution pallets used for transportation of freight in wide area physical distribution, comprising:

a wireless tag mounted on each pallet,

said wireless tag storing pallet control information of the pallet and operable for transmitting said pallet control information in wireless by generating radio wave energy in response to receipt of external radio waves generated externally thereof;

wireless detecting means installed at each of a plurality of physical distribution bases for transmitting said external radio waves to said wireless tag and for detecting pallet control information transmitted from the wireless tag mounted on each pallet arriving at or departing from a respective physical distribution base;

stock data storage means for receiving and storing the pallet control information detected by said wireless detecting means via a wide area communication network; and

pallet status judging means for judging whether a pallet identified by data stored in said stock data storage means is empty or not based on the pallet control information of said pallet.

2. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 1, wherein said pallet status judging means judges, on the status of "a pallet" newly stored in said pallet stock data storage means, that the status is empty in case where the pallet is not stored in memory of said pallet stock data storage means and where the predetermined standard time needed for unloading of freight has elapsed after the time detected by said wireless detecting means.

3. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 1, further comprising:

transport schedule storage means for storing information relating to a schedule of transport services and supply, and

demand predicting means for predicting supply and demand of pallets at said physical distribution base according to the information stored in said transport schedule storage means and according to a quantity of pallets in an empty status at the physical distribution base.

4. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 3, wherein said supply and demand predicting means predicts a quantity of pallets in excess or in shortage at a physical distribution base from a difference between a quantity of pallets expected to arrive by said transport service and a quantity of pallets expected to depart and from the current quantity of pallets in an empty status.

5. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 4, wherein said supply and demand predicting means corrects said predicted quantity of pallets in excess or in shortage based on knowledge or constraint condition relating to supply and demand of pallets.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless tag comprises means for receiving information transmitted from said wireless detecting means and means for storing the received information, and wherein said wireless detecting means comprises means for transmitting said information.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said wireless tag is free of internal power sources.

8. A system for controlling physical distribution pallets for controlling a stock of pallets and for setting up a pallet forwarding plan in wide area physical distribution, comprising:

a user interface for accepting request of a user and for displaying the pallet forwarding plan thus set up;

a wireless tag device for automatically acquiring information relating to entry or departure of pallets to or from stock, said wireless tag device operable for transmitting said information in wireless by generating radio wave energy in response to receipt of radio waves generated externally thereof;

accumulating means for accumulating information of acquired pallets or information of the pallet forwarding plan thus set up; and

a system main unit for reading information of said accumulating means and for setting up the pallet forwarding plan requested by the user.

9. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 8, wherein said system main unit comprises high-speed planning means for setting up said forwarding plan to forward the pallets in the order from a physical distribution base with lower transport cost to a base with higher transport cost between physical distribution bases among the distribution bases where pallets are in excess compared with the physical distribution base where pallets are in shortage.

10. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 8, wherein said system main unit comprises forwarding service judging means for determining a number of pallet forwarding services or quantity of pallets to be forwarded between the physical distribution bases using a linear programming method.

11. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 8, wherein said system main unit comprises pallet quantity predicting means for analyzing time series data of pallet quantity at each physical distribution base and for obtaining a function, which approximates the data as data for predicting pallet quantity.

12. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 8, wherein said system main unit comprises actual result feedback means for obtaining the pallet forwarding plan to eliminate a difference between an actual value and a planned value of pallet quantity at each physical distribution base using a linear programming method.

13. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 8, wherein said system main unit comprises schedule interval judgment supporting means for preparing a pallet forwarding plan based on specified delivery interval data for the forwarding pallet.

14. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 13, wherein said system main unit comprises forwarding schedule interval automatic judging means for automatically judging an adequate delivery interval for forwarding a pallet using said schedule interval judgment supporting means.

15. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 8, wherein said system main unit comprises standard stock quantity judgment supporting means for calculating standard stock quantity of pallets at physical distribution bases according to a maximum value and a minimum value of pallet quantity which changes over time at each physical distribution base.

16. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 8, wherein said system main unit comprises standard stock quantity automatic judging means for presenting a pallet forwarding plan in case a pallet standard stock quantity at a physical distribution base is specified using said standard stock quantity judgment supporting means and said schedule interval judgment supporting means.

17. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 8, wherein said system main unit comprises actual result data automatic collecting means for converting information obtained from said wireless tag device to pallet control information.

18. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 8, wherein said wireless tag device inputs data such as pallet departing point, arrival point, and time of entry or departure to or from stock into said actual result data automatic collecting means.

19. The system according to claim 8, further comprising transmitting means for transmitting information, and

wherein said wireless tag device comprises means for receiving information transmitted from said transmitting means and means for storing received information.

20. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein said wireless tag is free of internal power sources.